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  • A few thoughts.

    Zona is a good tube set to start with, the metallurgy is quite forgiving of heat. Spirit is thin and expensive, probably not ideal for a first frame.

    If you're building a lugged frame you won't be able to use a tapered headset, and your angles & tubing choices will be quite constrained. Basically, lugs are restrictive. That also applies to the ISP.

    What your design implies is either a fillet brazed or a TIG welded construction. I see that Downland now offer fillet brazed frames.

    Fillet brazing and finishing is a bit more complex than lugged work, especially when it comes to creating a smooth flowing finish without damaging the tubing. It's possible, but definitely harder, and you'd be pushing it to have a fully finished fillet brazed frame as a novice in 6 days.

    Don't want to sound like a downer, as it should be an enjoyable process - just make sure you keep things simple on your first frame so you can get the basics as good as possible.

  • Haha not a downer at all, yeah I think I was getting a bit a head of myself with excitement. Zona seems like a good choice and glad someone's backed that up for me now. I feel like it would be more useful as well to struggle with fillet brazing and learn it, rather than sticking to lug work out of ease and learning it later on? (I could be wrong thou). Maybe a simple frame design, fillet brazed would make more sense for the course?

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